We made it back home, safe and healthy! What a trip! The flights were on schedule and smooth! We didn't get a second of sleep coming home because we were so excited to see our family (plus the fact that someone was traveling with their dog and it kept barking. It was actually humorous) We missed the kids terribly! I can't tell you how good it was to see them. In fact, Ashlan and I cuddled all night last night! We had two weeks of missed cuddling to make up for! It's always bittersweet for us when a trip ends. We had so much fun traveling together, seeing new places, meeting new friends, trying new foods, and always laughing that we didn't want to come home....yet we were yearning to come home because we missed the family! It is such a great feeling to come home from a great vacation right back into the arms of your family and children! Can you tell I missed them?
Brent and I were talking about our favorite places we visited. It was so hard to pick just ONE favorite city. They are all so different. The final pick - Brent loved Venice. I loved Barcelona. Of course, those were the two places on the trip that we had not visited before.
Thank you to all who checked in on the blog throughout the past two weeks and for those who emailed to check in personally to see if we were 'really' having THAT much fun, like the blog stated. Yes, we had a fantastic time! We took 1,400 pictures. Can you believe that?
And to Brent, since I know you'll eventually read this - I had an amazing time with you! I can't think of one other person I would rather travel the world with! You always make sure I have a great time, you try your best to make sure I see the things I want (with the exception of the Chocolate Museum, but I forgive you), you ALWAYS make sure I feel comfortable and protected in unsafe situations, you always make sure every moment is as romantic as it can be (the gondola ride with all your hugs and kisses), I still can't believe YOU were the one who bought the tickets to ride the merry-go-round (that was so fun!), you were so patient in Mykonos when I dragged you into every boutique that existed on the island (or maybe you're just a good actor!), you were understanding every time I picked up the phone and spent a dollar a minute just to hear Ashlan's voice (sometimes those phone calls were a little longer than you wanted), several mornings you let me sleep in till noon (but you still went and got me breakfast so it would be there when I woke up), you made all those long bus trips easier to handle by rubbing/scratching my arms until I fell asleep on your shoulder (I think you did this on every single bus/shuttle trip), you stayed up LATE with me on those nights when I sat and chatted with our friends till 3am (I think you only fell asleep on us once)........
I had a fantastic time and I absolutely love that I get to do all these things with you! I love you!
And a HUGE thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Morgan and Memomma and Papa and Traci for loving on and caring for the kids while we were away! From the sound of it, they had a fantastic time with you!! We can't thank you enough! You're the best!!!!
P.S. I did add a blog for our stay in Barcelona. It's below...
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Barcelona
Wow! Great city! I know many people who have visited Barcelona before and they have all had positive things to say about the city. We had a fantastic time there, as well. We had no idea that we were visiting on 'Barcelona Day', though. The city was PACKED! I think every citizen from Spain was in Barcelona that day. I have never seen so many people in one place at one time. Since it was a 'holiday' in the city, the main shops were closed. But luckily, the museums were open! We had planned to visit the Picasso Museum and thankfully, it was open! There were lots of street performers......'lots' meaning hundreds, literally! There was some kind of festival, wine tasting, dancer, singer, etc. every few feet. It was crazy, but exciting. I do feel like we could have gotten more of a feel for the city without all the people there. It would have been nice to walk the city without bumping shoulders with someone every other step we took, but then again, it was a city holiday and we felt lucky to be able to witness this celebration.
We walked that ENTIRE city! I have wanted to go to Spain for a long time and I was determined to see as much as possible. We walked the city from 9 am to 8:30 pm and I have the blisters to prove it! We saw it all!
Warning about Barcelona - we were warned by friends, our hotel clerk, taxi drivers, etc. that the city is filled with people who pick pocket. We thank them so much for the warning because that was certainly true. Luckily, we weren't robbed....but FOUR of our friends were, within 5 hours of entering the city. Passports, credit cards, jewelry, money...GONE! Thankfully, there is a U.S. Embassy in Barcelona so they were able to get new passports. You can't imagine the pain and struggle they had to go through. Like I mentioned above, we LOVED Barcelona and would go back in a heartbeat, but we didn't always feel so safe!
We took lots of pictures in Barcelona, but only a handful didn't have lots of people in the background. Here are a few pictures
The most beautiful church we have ever seen! They are increasing the size of it. Estimated completion date - 30 years from now!
I love cities with narrow streets like this!
Brent on the sidewalk on the edge of the water
I couldn't think of a better place to end our trip! Barcelona was simply wonderful!
We walked that ENTIRE city! I have wanted to go to Spain for a long time and I was determined to see as much as possible. We walked the city from 9 am to 8:30 pm and I have the blisters to prove it! We saw it all!
Warning about Barcelona - we were warned by friends, our hotel clerk, taxi drivers, etc. that the city is filled with people who pick pocket. We thank them so much for the warning because that was certainly true. Luckily, we weren't robbed....but FOUR of our friends were, within 5 hours of entering the city. Passports, credit cards, jewelry, money...GONE! Thankfully, there is a U.S. Embassy in Barcelona so they were able to get new passports. You can't imagine the pain and struggle they had to go through. Like I mentioned above, we LOVED Barcelona and would go back in a heartbeat, but we didn't always feel so safe!
We took lots of pictures in Barcelona, but only a handful didn't have lots of people in the background. Here are a few pictures
The most beautiful church we have ever seen! They are increasing the size of it. Estimated completion date - 30 years from now!
I love cities with narrow streets like this!
Brent on the sidewalk on the edge of the water
I couldn't think of a better place to end our trip! Barcelona was simply wonderful!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
France
We had a spectacular day in France!! Our original plan was to spend some time in the town of Marseilles today, but those plans changed. Last night, we were invited by some friends to join them on the train to Avignon to spend the day. Not having been here before, we were told that you must visit Avignon since it is so accessible to where we are docked. So that is what we decided to do.
We woke up early this morning and caught the 30 minute train ride to Avignon. Wow! What a beautiful, clean city! This is Brent’s first time in France, and Avignon was a great place to start! We toured the city, had a fantastic lunch outdoors in front of the Palace of the Popes, walked through the church of Notre Dame, and walked up on the Ponto Avignon (a bridge that only goes halfway across the Rhone River). We would come back to Avignon in a heartbeat. It’s so laid-back, nice shopping, amazing food, lots of history, and simply a clean town!
Here are some pictures from Avignon…
The Avignon Square behind me
Our fabulous lunch
This 2-story Merry Go Round was near the square. All 10 of us adults bought a ticket and rode on it! So much fun!
Brent with the Ponto Avignon behind us. We did walk up onto the bridge. There is a saying that you must dance when you are up on the bridge. Maybe it's for luck or good fortune - I'm not sure. But we did both dance. Brent wouldn't let me post the pictures of us dancing on the blog. They are funny, though!
Tonight is our last night on the boat. We dock in Barcelona, Spain in the morning, which is where we will get off the boat. Brent and I are going to spend the day/night in Barcelona, then fly home EARLY Monday morning. Neither one of us has been to Spain before but we have been given several recommendations from friends on where to eat and sightsee in Barcelona, so we are excited to visit there!
This will probably be our last blog entry, since I’m not sure we will have internet access at our hotel in Barcelona. We will update on the city once we get back home to Dallas, though.
Thanks to all of you for checking in and for your comments/emails!
We’ve had a fantastic time, but are ready to see our family and friends again!
We woke up early this morning and caught the 30 minute train ride to Avignon. Wow! What a beautiful, clean city! This is Brent’s first time in France, and Avignon was a great place to start! We toured the city, had a fantastic lunch outdoors in front of the Palace of the Popes, walked through the church of Notre Dame, and walked up on the Ponto Avignon (a bridge that only goes halfway across the Rhone River). We would come back to Avignon in a heartbeat. It’s so laid-back, nice shopping, amazing food, lots of history, and simply a clean town!
Here are some pictures from Avignon…
The Avignon Square behind me
Our fabulous lunch
This 2-story Merry Go Round was near the square. All 10 of us adults bought a ticket and rode on it! So much fun!
Brent with the Ponto Avignon behind us. We did walk up onto the bridge. There is a saying that you must dance when you are up on the bridge. Maybe it's for luck or good fortune - I'm not sure. But we did both dance. Brent wouldn't let me post the pictures of us dancing on the blog. They are funny, though!
Tonight is our last night on the boat. We dock in Barcelona, Spain in the morning, which is where we will get off the boat. Brent and I are going to spend the day/night in Barcelona, then fly home EARLY Monday morning. Neither one of us has been to Spain before but we have been given several recommendations from friends on where to eat and sightsee in Barcelona, so we are excited to visit there!
This will probably be our last blog entry, since I’m not sure we will have internet access at our hotel in Barcelona. We will update on the city once we get back home to Dallas, though.
Thanks to all of you for checking in and for your comments/emails!
We’ve had a fantastic time, but are ready to see our family and friends again!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Rome, Pisa, and Florence
We were so tired last night after a long day in Rome that our update is a day late. So now I am updating on yesterday's trip into Rome and today's trip into Pisa and Florence. These past couple of days have been busy, busy, busy with sightseeing and such, but we're taking it all in and loving every second!
I'll start with yesterday's trip in Rome...
We had a busy, long day in Rome. There is just so much to see there. First of all, our ship docked 90 miles from the city of Rome so we had to take a bus into the city. But we left early enough that we beat the crowd and lines to get into the Vatican. We walked through the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. The Sistine Chapel is such a holy place and you could certainly feel it. It is also where the cardinals gather to elect the new pope. I thought the chapel would be bigger than it was, so I was surprised at the size. The Chapel is surrounded by paintings by Michelangelo, which was amazing! I wish we had pictures to share with you from the Sistine Chapel, but there are no cameras, video, or talking allowed.
Here is a picture of St. Peter's Basilica
We then stopped for lunch at a beautiful hotel. We had delicious pasta, of course, along with veal and vegetables. Then we drove over to the Coliseum. Last time we were here, we took pictures from the outside of the Coliseum but did not go in. This time we made it a point to go in. Wow! What a spectacular view from inside the Coliseum. Here are some pictures below….
Brent outside of the Coliseum
Inside the Coliseum
Now for an update on today's trip into Pisa and Florence
Right now we are in Livorno, Italy. Well, that’s actually just the city where the boat is docked. It’s very easy to get to Pisa and Florence from here so that is where we spent our day today. Unfortunately, we had our first day of rain in two weeks. We woke up this morning to heavy fog and rain. The fog cleared up as the day progressed but it did continue to sprinkle throughout the day. Brent and I brought along our raincoats, though, so we were prepared.
We started our day in the city of Pisa. And of course, you know what that means – the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We drove straight to the tower and boy was that COOL! We had fun taking pictures there!
Brent and I had a full workout today holding the Tower up. It's heavier than it looks!
We didn’t stay long in Pisa because we wanted to visit Florence, as well. Florence was about an hour drive further, so we finished our visit at the Leaning Tower of Pisa and headed to Florence.
Even though it was still raining outside, we thought Florence was just gorgeous. Brent says his new favorite place now is Florence. There is so much beauty and history in Florence. We were able to spend some time in the Uffizi Museum which is full of original Michelangelos, Da Vinci’s, Botticelli’s and other medieval art. I wish we could have taken pictures in there, but again, no cameras/video allowed.
Here is a picture of the outside of the Museum
After our visit in the museum, we had a delicious lunch and walked the city. Here is a beautiful picture of the city..
We really wish we could share more pictures with you on this blog. We have taken over 1,000 pictures on our trip. Unfortunately, our blog only allows us to post so many under a certain time frame....so we are trying to post those pictures that show the highlights.
Our trip is slowly coming to a close. Tomorrow we will be in Marseilles, France and Barcelona, Spain on Sunday. Then back to Dallas on Monday!
We will back tomorrow updating on Marseilles!
I'll start with yesterday's trip in Rome...
We had a busy, long day in Rome. There is just so much to see there. First of all, our ship docked 90 miles from the city of Rome so we had to take a bus into the city. But we left early enough that we beat the crowd and lines to get into the Vatican. We walked through the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. The Sistine Chapel is such a holy place and you could certainly feel it. It is also where the cardinals gather to elect the new pope. I thought the chapel would be bigger than it was, so I was surprised at the size. The Chapel is surrounded by paintings by Michelangelo, which was amazing! I wish we had pictures to share with you from the Sistine Chapel, but there are no cameras, video, or talking allowed.
Here is a picture of St. Peter's Basilica
We then stopped for lunch at a beautiful hotel. We had delicious pasta, of course, along with veal and vegetables. Then we drove over to the Coliseum. Last time we were here, we took pictures from the outside of the Coliseum but did not go in. This time we made it a point to go in. Wow! What a spectacular view from inside the Coliseum. Here are some pictures below….
Brent outside of the Coliseum
Inside the Coliseum
Now for an update on today's trip into Pisa and Florence
Right now we are in Livorno, Italy. Well, that’s actually just the city where the boat is docked. It’s very easy to get to Pisa and Florence from here so that is where we spent our day today. Unfortunately, we had our first day of rain in two weeks. We woke up this morning to heavy fog and rain. The fog cleared up as the day progressed but it did continue to sprinkle throughout the day. Brent and I brought along our raincoats, though, so we were prepared.
We started our day in the city of Pisa. And of course, you know what that means – the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We drove straight to the tower and boy was that COOL! We had fun taking pictures there!
Brent and I had a full workout today holding the Tower up. It's heavier than it looks!
We didn’t stay long in Pisa because we wanted to visit Florence, as well. Florence was about an hour drive further, so we finished our visit at the Leaning Tower of Pisa and headed to Florence.
Even though it was still raining outside, we thought Florence was just gorgeous. Brent says his new favorite place now is Florence. There is so much beauty and history in Florence. We were able to spend some time in the Uffizi Museum which is full of original Michelangelos, Da Vinci’s, Botticelli’s and other medieval art. I wish we could have taken pictures in there, but again, no cameras/video allowed.
Here is a picture of the outside of the Museum
After our visit in the museum, we had a delicious lunch and walked the city. Here is a beautiful picture of the city..
We really wish we could share more pictures with you on this blog. We have taken over 1,000 pictures on our trip. Unfortunately, our blog only allows us to post so many under a certain time frame....so we are trying to post those pictures that show the highlights.
Our trip is slowly coming to a close. Tomorrow we will be in Marseilles, France and Barcelona, Spain on Sunday. Then back to Dallas on Monday!
We will back tomorrow updating on Marseilles!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Isle of Capri
We are here in Naples, Italy. We have been to Naples before and during that visit we toured the city, walked the Pompeii ruins, and went to the top of Mt. Vesuvius. This time we decided to spend our time on the Isle of Capri. It’s about a 50 minute boat ride from where the ship docks in Naples. So we got off the boat early this morning and got onto a hydroplane boat for the 50 minute ride to Capri. I am so glad we took everyone’s advice to go visit the Isle of Capri because it is gorgeous!
This are several places to souvenir shop near the shore on Capri, but if you take a lift up to the top of the island there are plenty more shops to be found. Although these shops are the real up-scaled ones (i.e. Valentino, Prada, Gucci, Versace, D&G, you get my point) We hardly did any shopping though because the views from up there were priceless and had our attention the entire day.
We took lots of great pictures, which we’ll share below…
We had a great lunch on Capri which included pizza margherita, gnocchi, and calamari.
The over-look points in Capri are amazing. You can see forever..
We walked up on a hotel named 'Casa Morgano'. Perfect for our family name of Morgan!
I thought it would be fun to add this picture as well....
We had our picture again with Godard last night. This time he didn't have his mask on....but he was wearing a black kilt....
Now, tomorrow will be a busy day in Rome. We have a 10 hour city excursion scheduled. I love Rome, so I know it'll be a great day!
Thank you again for checking in! We are having a fanastic, busy time but really missing our family and friends!
This are several places to souvenir shop near the shore on Capri, but if you take a lift up to the top of the island there are plenty more shops to be found. Although these shops are the real up-scaled ones (i.e. Valentino, Prada, Gucci, Versace, D&G, you get my point) We hardly did any shopping though because the views from up there were priceless and had our attention the entire day.
We took lots of great pictures, which we’ll share below…
We had a great lunch on Capri which included pizza margherita, gnocchi, and calamari.
The over-look points in Capri are amazing. You can see forever..
We walked up on a hotel named 'Casa Morgano'. Perfect for our family name of Morgan!
I thought it would be fun to add this picture as well....
We had our picture again with Godard last night. This time he didn't have his mask on....but he was wearing a black kilt....
Now, tomorrow will be a busy day in Rome. We have a 10 hour city excursion scheduled. I love Rome, so I know it'll be a great day!
Thank you again for checking in! We are having a fanastic, busy time but really missing our family and friends!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Artists
First and most importantly, Brent fixed our picture problem. He figured out the issue and we can now share pictures with you again. YIPPEE! So be sure to look back at previous posts and you'll see the pictures we've added!
We now have pictures with all the artists onboard that we thought we'd share.
Of course, here is Michael Godard with Brent, having some laughs. Brent and Godard had dinner together last night and told stories, jokes, and shared laughs the whole night! Godard is such a character, which I've mentioned in previous posts...but we LOVE him!
Here is Alexandra Nechita. We had lunch with her and her parents yesterday in Mykonos
Here is Bill Mack. He is the world's most famous relief/bronze artist.
Bill bought the old Hollywood sign back in the 70's when they tore it down and replaced it with the new one. He now uses pieces of the old Hollywood sign and paints old Hollywood actors/actresses on them. So unique and amazing to see, not to mention, touch. He lets people touch the paintings because you are also touching a piece of the old white Hollywood sign. So cool!
We will check back in tomorrow with an update on our adventures in Capri!!!!
Be sure to check pictures we've added to previous posts!
We now have pictures with all the artists onboard that we thought we'd share.
Of course, here is Michael Godard with Brent, having some laughs. Brent and Godard had dinner together last night and told stories, jokes, and shared laughs the whole night! Godard is such a character, which I've mentioned in previous posts...but we LOVE him!
Here is Alexandra Nechita. We had lunch with her and her parents yesterday in Mykonos
Here is Bill Mack. He is the world's most famous relief/bronze artist.
Bill bought the old Hollywood sign back in the 70's when they tore it down and replaced it with the new one. He now uses pieces of the old Hollywood sign and paints old Hollywood actors/actresses on them. So unique and amazing to see, not to mention, touch. He lets people touch the paintings because you are also touching a piece of the old white Hollywood sign. So cool!
We will check back in tomorrow with an update on our adventures in Capri!!!!
Be sure to check pictures we've added to previous posts!
Mykonos, Greece
Yesterday, we spent a beautiful day in Mykonos.
The island is full of white houses with blue doors. Everything looks the same. The town is packed with these white houses, which are also shops, and the sidewalks are incredibly narrow. I think there is one main road for cars/trucks/buses and that is it. You can easily get lost in town because of all the different walkways. They go in every direction possible. But you can always see the water, so as long as you head downhill when you are finished walking around, you’ll find your way back.
This is what the streets and shops look like..
Brent in front of a church near the water
Brent in the sea with the city behind him...
Here are the famous windmills of Mykonos
It’s fun to get lost shopping. And that’s what we did, shop. Brent shopped, I shopped, everyone shopped. They have great shopping in Mykonos. I bought a few, fun, cheap dresses and Brent got a shirt for dinner last night.
Also, along the water, there are multiple places to dine. So, of course, we had lunch with some friends. We decided to be daring and order a mixed grill of seafood which included fried sardines and octopus, along with other seafood specialties. I did not like the octopus. For those of you that have had it before, I thought it was too rubbery and chewy. Yuck! But I tried it and I’m proud of that. Brent enjoyed the octopus although he only ate a little, as well.
Mykonos has these HUGE pelicans that call the island their home. They are used to the traffic of tourists and welcome them. You can walk right up to the pelicans and pet them. It’s intimidating, though, because these pelicans are HUGE! Their beaks are massive. I would pet one but then jump back when he turned his beak towards me. Brent didn’t even get close to the pelicans. He just told me to go pet them while he took the picture. Here I am up close with the pelican
We are at sea now enjoying the day off. Tomorrow we will dock in Naples, Italy. Brent and I will be taking a ferry over to the Island of Capri, to spend the day. We’re excited!
Thanks for checking in…….
The island is full of white houses with blue doors. Everything looks the same. The town is packed with these white houses, which are also shops, and the sidewalks are incredibly narrow. I think there is one main road for cars/trucks/buses and that is it. You can easily get lost in town because of all the different walkways. They go in every direction possible. But you can always see the water, so as long as you head downhill when you are finished walking around, you’ll find your way back.
This is what the streets and shops look like..
Brent in front of a church near the water
Brent in the sea with the city behind him...
Here are the famous windmills of Mykonos
It’s fun to get lost shopping. And that’s what we did, shop. Brent shopped, I shopped, everyone shopped. They have great shopping in Mykonos. I bought a few, fun, cheap dresses and Brent got a shirt for dinner last night.
Also, along the water, there are multiple places to dine. So, of course, we had lunch with some friends. We decided to be daring and order a mixed grill of seafood which included fried sardines and octopus, along with other seafood specialties. I did not like the octopus. For those of you that have had it before, I thought it was too rubbery and chewy. Yuck! But I tried it and I’m proud of that. Brent enjoyed the octopus although he only ate a little, as well.
Mykonos has these HUGE pelicans that call the island their home. They are used to the traffic of tourists and welcome them. You can walk right up to the pelicans and pet them. It’s intimidating, though, because these pelicans are HUGE! Their beaks are massive. I would pet one but then jump back when he turned his beak towards me. Brent didn’t even get close to the pelicans. He just told me to go pet them while he took the picture. Here I am up close with the pelican
We are at sea now enjoying the day off. Tomorrow we will dock in Naples, Italy. Brent and I will be taking a ferry over to the Island of Capri, to spend the day. We’re excited!
Thanks for checking in…….
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Istanbul
Hello from Istanbul, Turkey.
Three years ago, we were so sad to leave Istanbul. It was such a fabulous place and we didn’t know if we would ever visit again. Yet, here we are today and again, we had a fabulous time in the city!
Istanbul is a huge city. Half the city is in Europe, the other half in Asia. Isn’t that crazy? All you have to do is cross the bridge and you’ve entered into another continent, but still in the same city!
Not only is the town full of beautiful Mosques and monuments, but the Turkish people are so genuine and kind here! We enjoy being in their company!
Today, we walked around the city, shopped at the street markets, took lots of pictures, sipped on Turkish coffee, had a romantic meal on the rooftop of a hotel overlooking the city, visited a 1,500 year old cistern, and had the chance to hear the Muslim call for the people to come worship in the Mosques. They have several audio speakers throughout the city. Six times a day, a Muslim Imam comes over the speaker and chants for 30 minutes which invites the people to worship. The speakers are loud like tornado sirens in the city. It’s amazing to be walking through this huge city and to hear nothing but an Imam chanting for half an hour. I was in awe! We didn’t experience this the last time we were here.
Here is a picture of me in front of the Blue Mosque
The highlight of our day was the lunch we had. We found a restaurant in a hotel with a rooftop terrace. We happened to be the ONLY people on the rooftop which overlooked EVERYTHING. You could view the Blue Mosque, the sea, Europe, Asia,….we could see it all! We enjoyed a great Turkish meal alone with each other. That was a lunch we will never forget!
Here is a picture of Brent on the rooftop eating lunch..
Here are a couple of pictures from our visit in the Cistern. We took pictures in front of Medusa head columns that are 1,500 years old!
We will be leaving Istanbul shortly and headed straight for Mykonos, Greece. My two favorite places in the Mediterranean: Istanbul and Mykonos, and they happen to be back to back days!
Hope all is well and for those in Texas – we hope the hurricane didn’t affect you too much!
Oh, and we did make it a point to check online for a specific sports udpate!
NOTRE DAME BEAT MICHIGAN! GO IRISH!
Three years ago, we were so sad to leave Istanbul. It was such a fabulous place and we didn’t know if we would ever visit again. Yet, here we are today and again, we had a fabulous time in the city!
Istanbul is a huge city. Half the city is in Europe, the other half in Asia. Isn’t that crazy? All you have to do is cross the bridge and you’ve entered into another continent, but still in the same city!
Not only is the town full of beautiful Mosques and monuments, but the Turkish people are so genuine and kind here! We enjoy being in their company!
Today, we walked around the city, shopped at the street markets, took lots of pictures, sipped on Turkish coffee, had a romantic meal on the rooftop of a hotel overlooking the city, visited a 1,500 year old cistern, and had the chance to hear the Muslim call for the people to come worship in the Mosques. They have several audio speakers throughout the city. Six times a day, a Muslim Imam comes over the speaker and chants for 30 minutes which invites the people to worship. The speakers are loud like tornado sirens in the city. It’s amazing to be walking through this huge city and to hear nothing but an Imam chanting for half an hour. I was in awe! We didn’t experience this the last time we were here.
Here is a picture of me in front of the Blue Mosque
The highlight of our day was the lunch we had. We found a restaurant in a hotel with a rooftop terrace. We happened to be the ONLY people on the rooftop which overlooked EVERYTHING. You could view the Blue Mosque, the sea, Europe, Asia,….we could see it all! We enjoyed a great Turkish meal alone with each other. That was a lunch we will never forget!
Here is a picture of Brent on the rooftop eating lunch..
Here are a couple of pictures from our visit in the Cistern. We took pictures in front of Medusa head columns that are 1,500 years old!
We will be leaving Istanbul shortly and headed straight for Mykonos, Greece. My two favorite places in the Mediterranean: Istanbul and Mykonos, and they happen to be back to back days!
Hope all is well and for those in Texas – we hope the hurricane didn’t affect you too much!
Oh, and we did make it a point to check online for a specific sports udpate!
NOTRE DAME BEAT MICHIGAN! GO IRISH!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Kusadasi
Greetings from Kusadasi ,Turkey
From the port city of Kusadasi, most travelers go visit Ephesus. Ephesus is one of our favorite places. The ruins of Ephesus are so beautifully restored. You can climb the steps to the top of the Great Theatre and imagine yourself in the audience when St. Paul made his famous speech to the Ephesians.
From Kusadasi, it was also easy to visit the house where Mary, the mother of Jesus, spent her last days and the Basilica marking the tomb of John, Jesus’ most beloved disciple.
Brent and I were in Kusadasi three years ago and visited all these famous sites and ruins. That was definitely a trip that we will never forget. We would have loved to visit again, but on this particular visit today, we were only in port half the day. Several passengers did wake up EARLY and take advantage of what time we had and did, indeed, visit those sites. But for Brent and I, we were exhausted. We have been having late dinners, staying up late visiting with old/new friends, and needed a day to sleep in. Luckily, we did wake up in time to do an hour or so of shopping before the ship left port. Brent was able to buy a few dress shirts and two dress slacks. Brent RARELY shops for clothes so I was excited that he took it upon himself to shop a little.
We are now sailing towards Istanbul, Turkey. We should arrive early in the morning. Istanbul has several markets and bazaars, so hopefully Brent will be excited about shopping again. Other than that, we plan to find an eatery near the water and relax while sipping on Turkish Tea (which we discovered today and LOVED)
Again, thanks for checking in!
From the port city of Kusadasi, most travelers go visit Ephesus. Ephesus is one of our favorite places. The ruins of Ephesus are so beautifully restored. You can climb the steps to the top of the Great Theatre and imagine yourself in the audience when St. Paul made his famous speech to the Ephesians.
From Kusadasi, it was also easy to visit the house where Mary, the mother of Jesus, spent her last days and the Basilica marking the tomb of John, Jesus’ most beloved disciple.
Brent and I were in Kusadasi three years ago and visited all these famous sites and ruins. That was definitely a trip that we will never forget. We would have loved to visit again, but on this particular visit today, we were only in port half the day. Several passengers did wake up EARLY and take advantage of what time we had and did, indeed, visit those sites. But for Brent and I, we were exhausted. We have been having late dinners, staying up late visiting with old/new friends, and needed a day to sleep in. Luckily, we did wake up in time to do an hour or so of shopping before the ship left port. Brent was able to buy a few dress shirts and two dress slacks. Brent RARELY shops for clothes so I was excited that he took it upon himself to shop a little.
We are now sailing towards Istanbul, Turkey. We should arrive early in the morning. Istanbul has several markets and bazaars, so hopefully Brent will be excited about shopping again. Other than that, we plan to find an eatery near the water and relax while sipping on Turkish Tea (which we discovered today and LOVED)
Again, thanks for checking in!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Athens, Greece
Hello from Athens!
First of all, I have to share with you a picture from last night. We went to dinner with Godard and he showed up looking like this! He said he found the outfit when we were in Venice and couldn’t wait to wear it!
We spent the day in Athens. Last time we were here we stayed in the city and visited the Acropolis, some museums, and toured the city itself. This time we decided to travel outside of Athens and head to the city of Corinth. We did however stop at the Acropolis early this morning, because that is something you always want to make sure you see when you are here.
Corinth was about a 90 mile drive from Athens and the drive took us down the coast of the Aegean Sea the entire way. It was a gorgeous drive! Once we got to Corinth, we stopped at a hotel for lunch and played around on their beach for a moment. Brent just had to jump in the water to say he had touched the Aegean Sea.
Then we headed over to the famous Corinth Canal. This is a very narrow canal connecting the Aegean Sea to the Ionian Sea. There we took a canal cruise all the way down and back from one sea to the other. Very cool! Here is a picture of me on the boat sailing through the canal. You can tell how narrow it is.
And here is Brent on the bridge overlooking the Corinth Canal.
Be sure to check back tomorrow to hear of our travels in Ephsesus, Turkey!
First of all, I have to share with you a picture from last night. We went to dinner with Godard and he showed up looking like this! He said he found the outfit when we were in Venice and couldn’t wait to wear it!
We spent the day in Athens. Last time we were here we stayed in the city and visited the Acropolis, some museums, and toured the city itself. This time we decided to travel outside of Athens and head to the city of Corinth. We did however stop at the Acropolis early this morning, because that is something you always want to make sure you see when you are here.
Corinth was about a 90 mile drive from Athens and the drive took us down the coast of the Aegean Sea the entire way. It was a gorgeous drive! Once we got to Corinth, we stopped at a hotel for lunch and played around on their beach for a moment. Brent just had to jump in the water to say he had touched the Aegean Sea.
Then we headed over to the famous Corinth Canal. This is a very narrow canal connecting the Aegean Sea to the Ionian Sea. There we took a canal cruise all the way down and back from one sea to the other. Very cool! Here is a picture of me on the boat sailing through the canal. You can tell how narrow it is.
And here is Brent on the bridge overlooking the Corinth Canal.
Be sure to check back tomorrow to hear of our travels in Ephsesus, Turkey!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Sailing....
Let me begin by telling you a little bit about the particular cruise we are on. We are currently sailing on an Art Connoisseurs Cruise. Princess Cruise Line offers these Connoisseurs Cruises several times a year, but you must be invited. This is our second Connoisseurs Cruise to be on. Generally, they have 3-7 established, well-known artists onboard to speak, do demos, and interact with their collectors. There are three artists on this particular cruise and we are collectors of two of the artists, which is exciting. In my previous blog, I spoke about Godard. From the look of this guy, he looks rough, tough, strange, odd, all those characteristics that make you think twice about wanting anything to do with the guy personally. But let me tell you – looks are incredibly deceiving with this guy! Yes, he dyes his hair black, he wears chains, crosses, black nail polish (and yes, his best friend is Ozzy Osbourne)– but he is the most humble, friendly, sensitive, and fun guy you’ll ever meet. We have been like magnets towards him. We hung out with him till 3a.m. this morning and learned so much about him outside of his artwork, etc. Brent is completely mesmerized by him. Brent wants Godard’s talent and Godard wants Brent’s (Godard lost one of his three young daughters to brain cancer a couple of years back) It’s just been a great experience to meet and get to know one of our favorite most collected artists. Hailey – I even shared with him that ya’ll got us several of his accessory pieces one year!
Godard finished one of Brent’s requested pieces today. He began work on it at 11 today and had Brent right there with him giving input, etc. He is also in the process of painting a Venice scene for Brent and I. This piece is amazing!!!! And he will be doing a third personalized piece for us. Oh, Dad – we also bought a painting of his that incorporates horseracing. You’ll love it! So yes, we are coming home with 4 new Godard’s to add to our collection. And no, we have no wall space left to hang them! We’ll deal with that issue when we get home!
We are NOT the only Godard collectors on this ship. There are several! And many of them are getting personalized pieces, as well. It’s interesting to see what people request to have painted and personalized for them specifically…
Another artist on this ship that we were SHOCKED to see is Alexandra Nechita. She is the child prodigy that paints exactly like Picasso. Mom and Dad – she painted the LARGE contemporary piece we have that is now in Brent’s office. We were completely shocked to find out she was one of the artists on the boat. We NEVER imagined we would meet her. We have seen her in the art gallery and at dinners but we have yet to speak with her personally. She is now 23 years old and quite intimidating. I even think she intimidates the other artists onboard. She is only 23 and her paintings already sell for over $150,000. She has quite the presence about her. For those of you reading who are not familiar with her, you must google her. She’s quite an artist!
The other artist onboard is Bill Mack. We have actually cruised with him before We got to know he and his wife on our previous art cruise and did a private trip with them into Cairo, Egypt. We did not stay in touch after that cruise, so it was great to reunite in the Mediterranean again and remember each other!
So, all in all, it’s already been an exciting trip. Lots of memories already. Unfortunately, we did have a medical scare on the ship today. A passenger is bleeding internally and they came over the ships intercom system and asked for ANY passengers who have 0+ blood type to PLEASE consider donating blood immediately. We are far from shore so the only way to seek medical help, other than the infirmary onboard, was to get a helicopter to the ship to get the passenger to a hospital. Until then though, they needed blood ASAP. Very scary situation that has had everyone holding his or her breath this afternoon for this particular passenger. I’m not sure what the current status of the passenger is right now.
Obviously we figured out how to download the pictures. Check the blog below for added pictures!
We’ll be in Athens tomorrow!!
Godard finished one of Brent’s requested pieces today. He began work on it at 11 today and had Brent right there with him giving input, etc. He is also in the process of painting a Venice scene for Brent and I. This piece is amazing!!!! And he will be doing a third personalized piece for us. Oh, Dad – we also bought a painting of his that incorporates horseracing. You’ll love it! So yes, we are coming home with 4 new Godard’s to add to our collection. And no, we have no wall space left to hang them! We’ll deal with that issue when we get home!
We are NOT the only Godard collectors on this ship. There are several! And many of them are getting personalized pieces, as well. It’s interesting to see what people request to have painted and personalized for them specifically…
Another artist on this ship that we were SHOCKED to see is Alexandra Nechita. She is the child prodigy that paints exactly like Picasso. Mom and Dad – she painted the LARGE contemporary piece we have that is now in Brent’s office. We were completely shocked to find out she was one of the artists on the boat. We NEVER imagined we would meet her. We have seen her in the art gallery and at dinners but we have yet to speak with her personally. She is now 23 years old and quite intimidating. I even think she intimidates the other artists onboard. She is only 23 and her paintings already sell for over $150,000. She has quite the presence about her. For those of you reading who are not familiar with her, you must google her. She’s quite an artist!
The other artist onboard is Bill Mack. We have actually cruised with him before We got to know he and his wife on our previous art cruise and did a private trip with them into Cairo, Egypt. We did not stay in touch after that cruise, so it was great to reunite in the Mediterranean again and remember each other!
So, all in all, it’s already been an exciting trip. Lots of memories already. Unfortunately, we did have a medical scare on the ship today. A passenger is bleeding internally and they came over the ships intercom system and asked for ANY passengers who have 0+ blood type to PLEASE consider donating blood immediately. We are far from shore so the only way to seek medical help, other than the infirmary onboard, was to get a helicopter to the ship to get the passenger to a hospital. Until then though, they needed blood ASAP. Very scary situation that has had everyone holding his or her breath this afternoon for this particular passenger. I’m not sure what the current status of the passenger is right now.
Obviously we figured out how to download the pictures. Check the blog below for added pictures!
We’ll be in Athens tomorrow!!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Venice
We made it!
We flew from Dallas to Amsterdam and from there to Venice, Italy. We made it just in time to be able to spend an entire day in Venice. Granted, we hadn’t slept, showered, changed clothes, or brushed our teeth in 24 hours, (I know, too much information) but we didn’t’ let that stop us one bit! We grabbed a taxi at the airport, dropped our luggage off at the cruise terminal, and quickly jumped on a water taxi that took us into the city!
We had an amazing time in Venice. We walked the streets and shopped some. Then we came across St. Marks Square where I had a great time with the pigeons….The pigeons populate that entire square. They have just as much of a right to be there as you do. Therefore, they make themselves known. They fly straight into your face and take food right out of your hand. It’s quite fun to watch, although Brent didn’t’ think it was too funny when he had to duck several times to avoid a head-on collision with the birds! That was hilarious! But I did sit down with the birds and fed them some of my Cheez-Its. Although, as soon as one of the pigeons landed on my back, I bolted! Brent captured the moment of the bird on my back!
We walked through St. Mark’s Basilica which was so quiet, serene, and beautiful….
Here is Brent in front of the Basilica
Then we HAD to stop and get some of their famous gelato. Traci – thanks for the recommendation. It was super yummy and hit the right spot because it was sooooooo hot in Venice!
Here I am enjoying the gelato
We ended our day in Venice with a gondola ride. Something Brent and I have always wanted to do together. It was perfect. We boated down several small canals through the city. We went under the Bridge of Sighs. Kristen – I shared with Brent what you said to make sure we do…..and we did. We kissed under every bridge, and there’s a lot of them!
The trip has been great, thus far. Good flights, a great time in Venice, and to top it off, guess who is on our cruise? To those who have been in our house and has seen our collection of olive/martini artwork in the gameroom……well, the artist of those paintings, Michael Godard, is ONBOARD!. What luck! Brent has been having a great time with him since Godard is QUITE A CHARACTER! Brent has already propositioned him to custom paint two pieces for him and he agreed! They are painting together tomorrow at 11a.m. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is Brent and Godard!
Thanks for checking in on us! We are at sea tomorrow so it’ll be a day of much needed rest! Our next stop is Athens, Greece…..
Ciao!
We flew from Dallas to Amsterdam and from there to Venice, Italy. We made it just in time to be able to spend an entire day in Venice. Granted, we hadn’t slept, showered, changed clothes, or brushed our teeth in 24 hours, (I know, too much information) but we didn’t’ let that stop us one bit! We grabbed a taxi at the airport, dropped our luggage off at the cruise terminal, and quickly jumped on a water taxi that took us into the city!
We had an amazing time in Venice. We walked the streets and shopped some. Then we came across St. Marks Square where I had a great time with the pigeons….The pigeons populate that entire square. They have just as much of a right to be there as you do. Therefore, they make themselves known. They fly straight into your face and take food right out of your hand. It’s quite fun to watch, although Brent didn’t’ think it was too funny when he had to duck several times to avoid a head-on collision with the birds! That was hilarious! But I did sit down with the birds and fed them some of my Cheez-Its. Although, as soon as one of the pigeons landed on my back, I bolted! Brent captured the moment of the bird on my back!
We walked through St. Mark’s Basilica which was so quiet, serene, and beautiful….
Here is Brent in front of the Basilica
Then we HAD to stop and get some of their famous gelato. Traci – thanks for the recommendation. It was super yummy and hit the right spot because it was sooooooo hot in Venice!
Here I am enjoying the gelato
We ended our day in Venice with a gondola ride. Something Brent and I have always wanted to do together. It was perfect. We boated down several small canals through the city. We went under the Bridge of Sighs. Kristen – I shared with Brent what you said to make sure we do…..and we did. We kissed under every bridge, and there’s a lot of them!
The trip has been great, thus far. Good flights, a great time in Venice, and to top it off, guess who is on our cruise? To those who have been in our house and has seen our collection of olive/martini artwork in the gameroom……well, the artist of those paintings, Michael Godard, is ONBOARD!. What luck! Brent has been having a great time with him since Godard is QUITE A CHARACTER! Brent has already propositioned him to custom paint two pieces for him and he agreed! They are painting together tomorrow at 11a.m. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is Brent and Godard!
Thanks for checking in on us! We are at sea tomorrow so it’ll be a day of much needed rest! Our next stop is Athens, Greece…..
Ciao!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Bon Voyage
We leave this afternoon for the Mediterranean! We will be updating daily on our adventures through this blog......So check back daily or as frequently as you like!
We will be visiting:
Venice, Italy
Naples, Italy
Rome, Italy
Florence/Pisa, Italy
Athens, Greece
Mykonos, Greece
Ephesus, Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey
Marseilles,France
Barcelona, Spain
We will be visiting:
Venice, Italy
Naples, Italy
Rome, Italy
Florence/Pisa, Italy
Athens, Greece
Mykonos, Greece
Ephesus, Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey
Marseilles,France
Barcelona, Spain
Saturday, September 6, 2008
To Brent...
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday Dear Brent,
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to the most important person in my life! I thank God everyday for making our paths cross and for leading us into each others arms! You are even better than what I ever dreamed my lifelong partner would be! You carry so many wonderful qualities that make me crazy about you... ..... some of these are:
You are a loving father to your beautiful children! From the constant support you show them, the encouragement you share with them, the hugs and kisses you give them, the time you make for them....... You are a wonderful father and I pray your children will ALWAYS know how much you love them with all your heart!
You are one adventurous guy! From traveling the world, to hiking up mountains alone (with bears), to water sports, to repelling, to scuba diving at night, to driving those loud motorcycles, to dreaming of climbing Mt. Everest.......Nothing stops you from doing what you love or from dreaming big!
You have a HUGE heart that brings tears to my eyes! Your passion to love and help others less fortunate is an example to me, your friends, and your children about how big your heart is.
You are an incredibly hardworker! The dedication and passion you have for your profession can not be measured. You put 110% into every aspect of your job. Just the years of work and schooling you had to complete to get to where you are now is amazing. You have a knowledge and motivation that I only wish I had! You are my inspiration!
You have a wonderful sense of humor! You are always making me laugh!
To the love of my life -
Happy Birthday, baby!
You get smarter, funnier, and more handsome every year!
I plan to be by your side and celebrating every birthday with you until the day I die!
I love you!
Happy Birthday, Brent!!
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday Dear Brent,
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to the most important person in my life! I thank God everyday for making our paths cross and for leading us into each others arms! You are even better than what I ever dreamed my lifelong partner would be! You carry so many wonderful qualities that make me crazy about you... ..... some of these are:
You are a loving father to your beautiful children! From the constant support you show them, the encouragement you share with them, the hugs and kisses you give them, the time you make for them....... You are a wonderful father and I pray your children will ALWAYS know how much you love them with all your heart!
You are one adventurous guy! From traveling the world, to hiking up mountains alone (with bears), to water sports, to repelling, to scuba diving at night, to driving those loud motorcycles, to dreaming of climbing Mt. Everest.......Nothing stops you from doing what you love or from dreaming big!
You have a HUGE heart that brings tears to my eyes! Your passion to love and help others less fortunate is an example to me, your friends, and your children about how big your heart is.
You are an incredibly hardworker! The dedication and passion you have for your profession can not be measured. You put 110% into every aspect of your job. Just the years of work and schooling you had to complete to get to where you are now is amazing. You have a knowledge and motivation that I only wish I had! You are my inspiration!
You have a wonderful sense of humor! You are always making me laugh!
To the love of my life -
Happy Birthday, baby!
You get smarter, funnier, and more handsome every year!
I plan to be by your side and celebrating every birthday with you until the day I die!
I love you!
Happy Birthday, Brent!!
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